Beyond Counter Speech: An Integrated Literacy Model to Mitigate Online Hate Speech against Roma in Greece

Abstract

The rapid expansion of digital technologies has transformed modes of communication and social interaction, while also facilitating harmful phenomena such as online hate speech. This paper examines the dynamics, targets, and consequences of online hate speech, with a focus on its impact on the Roma minority in Greece. Drawing on existing literature and prior empirical research, the study identifies recurrent negative constructions of Roma in social media discourse, ranging from stereotypes of criminality and dependency to explicit calls for exclusion and elimination. The analysis highlights the profound psychological, social, and civic consequences of such rhetoric, including anxiety, depression, self-ghettoisation, polarisation, and the normalisation of intolerance. The paper argues that conventional counter-speech strategies, while necessary, are insufficient to disrupt entrenched discriminatory narratives. Instead, it proposes a multidimensional framework designed to enhance critical engagement, foster empathy, and build digital resilience among both Roma and non-Roma populations. This framework emphasizes collaborative learning environments, culturally responsive pedagogy, and the development of competencies to manage and challenge harmful online discourses, as well as to promote inclusive civic engagement. By addressing both individual and structural dimensions, the study underscores the urgency of multi-level strategies to counteract the glocal hostility—where globalized hate speech tropes intersect with local socio-cultural prejudices.